2 things you should know about your ballot

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Voters need to know two finer points of this election.

First, there's a referendum on the ballot for an Indiana constitutional amendment. Second, voters casting a straight ticket still must vote individually for the Tippecanoe County Council at-large races.

The constitutional amendment choices are yes or no to the question: "Shall the Constitution of the State of Indiana be amended by adding a Section 39 to Article 1 to provide that the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife shall be forever preserved for the public good, subject only to the laws prescribed by the General Assembly and rules prescribed by virtue of the authority of the General Assembly to:

"(1) promote wildlife conservation and management; and

"(2) preserve the future of hunting and fishing?"

The change in how to vote for at-large races is new this year, too, and affects only those who vote straight-party tickets.

As an explanation of the change, Tippecanoe County Clerk Christa Coffey provided the Journal & Courier with a boilerplate statement that reads: "To vote for any candidate for an at-large office (county council, city common council, town council or township board if those offices appear on this ballot), you must make another voting mark for each candidate you wish to vote for. Your straight-party vote will not count as a vote for any candidate for that office."